Dompu-Lakey-Satonda

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In a way, an adventure into Dompu, NTB is my best adventure so far. Is not only because so many beautiful sights along the road to Dompu. But also patience, time continues to thin out until fatigue that press the spirit to the lowest point.

On April 28, 2009 Nunu (camera person) and I flight from Soekarno-Hatta airport to Selaparang Airport in Mataram, Lombok at 8 a.m. We meet Mail (read: Ma'il) at 10 a.m in Selaparang. He is Mataram driver who've I've known from previous meetings when I, Oji (camera person) and him visited Moyo island in the Sumbawa Besar a couple months ago.

After stopping to lunch in the stall in front of Mataram Mall and bought logistic (snacks and mineral waters), our long road trip began. From Mataram, we have to take two-hours heading to the port Khayangan in East Lombok. There is nothing special during the trip to the port in addition to houses, local markets, rice fields and swamps and had to catch a ferry schedule. Thankfully after arrive in Khayangan port, we just need an hour until the next ferry. And the best bit, the next ferry that we were riding is quite comfortable than before.

Two-hours crossing on the ferry was quite comfortable. We rested and took some pictures. It was at 5 p.m when the ferry docked at the port of Sumbawa. Although the distance from one city to another is far away, the trip was not too boring because a lot of beautiful scenery. All the way to the town of Sumbawa Besar, on the left road, little barren hills running away from us. On the right, many islands floating in the water as if a calm sea.

Unfortunately the time was late and we just have a minute to enjoy the scenes. The rest, we penetrate the darkness towards the town of Sumbawa Besar. Not many homes like in Pantura in Java. We were lucky the road was smooth as silk. Mail hit the pedal and we were flying to town of Sumbawa Besar at 8 p.m.

It was impossible to continue the six-hours trip again. Besides us, especially Mail has been exhausted, it was dark outside and unpaved roads. Finally, we look for lodging and falling asleep until tomorrow morning.

Peaceful small town

I've passed a quarter of the way to Dompu at midnight. I do not think, if passed in the morning, the landscape more beautiful than imagined. It felt like celebrating the 17th birthday party. The best gifts keep coming and coming again. On the right road, not much housing residents and gardens and rice fields stretching. On the left of the road, blue sky and white clouds reflected from Saleh's bay such a beautiful. The more beautiful to see because there was no human settlement that prevented us from enjoying it from the road. Kilometers passed and the shore was never lost until we reached Dompu.

Dompu District is a small town located at the crossing point of Sumbawa Besar and Bima. Extent of about 2321.55 km ². Which consists of forests, hills and beaches. The majority of the population are Muslim. Dompu people are obedient and very friendly, please understand if you can't find pub around. Residents here are not familiar with congestion. Their life was so quiet, slow and fast back to bed before nine o'clock at night.

We stayed at a hotel in Dompu Downtown (my bad forgot the hotel's name.) Actually it wasn't a hotel, but more like a three-level house with breakfast each morning. The owner a pilgrim who was always greeting us every morning.

After check in and store all our stuff. Nunu, Mail and I over town looking for food and meet our fixer in Dompu. His name is Mus, he's a journalist in local newspapers. After a long chat and few cups of black coffee and cigarettes, we returned to the hotel and sleep.

Lakey Beach

We woke up at 5 a.m. Nunu (camera person) wanted to record images of the rising sun behind the hill. So we went to the higher place. Near the television transmitter tower. From this high, Dompu city looks sheepish covered with large trees that grew here and there. So beautiful.

From the hill, we went to traditional markets in Terminal Ginte, inter-city bus terminal. If you want to know more local people and their habits, came to the traditional market. You will meet many locals who bargain with each other staples. There also were selling traditional snacks that don't exist elsewhere. An easier way to get to know local residents without round the city, right?

After that, we went straight to the Dompu General Hospital. Wait a minute, none of us were sick, we go there because there was unofficial terminal to Hu'u. Some place where the cool waves seductive world of surfers every day at the Lakey beach.

Not many buses that go there. So when there was one bus that comes, immediately go up despite already full with people, chickens and even goats! Damn, I missed a place in the bus. Forced me and Nunu, and four other men had climbed onto the roof of the bus and sat there until Hu'u. It's crazy! Apart from having to keep squinting because of high winds from the bus who didn't want to slowly, we had to duck occasionally to avoid branches. Hahaha what a adventure! Mail who followed us using car just laugh at us who suffer on the bus.

Finally we reached the Lakey beach at 1 p.m. With two centimeters dust in our faces and hand cramps as continued to hold tightly on the roof of the bus for an hour. I imagine the hectic as Kuta beach in Bali or at least Sengigi beach in Lombok. But Lakey beach such as beach exile. Very quiet. After passing through the settlement of local residents, there are only a few small cottages that front page calf-high elephant grass grow. Not maintained, for some reason.

Mail slow the car, Nunu and I look outside looking for life. At the end gravel road that leads to the beach, we finally met two foreign tourists. They were from Australia and bringing surf boards. He said more cool waves of the beach here than Bali and Lombok, I just shrugged. Besides I can't surf, I've never been both places before. What should I comment? Hahaha

Lakey Beach is no less than Kuta beach or Sengigi beach. Unfortunately the beach was not maintained and less noticed by the local tourism office. The waves also proved quite popular. On the internet, I found a lot of compliments about the waves on the Lakey beach in many blogs. And four of the most famous are Lakey Peak, Cobble Stones, Lakey Pipe and Periscop. Many surfers from Australia, America and other countries come here to surf.

Filled with locally made spaghetti from guesthouse stall, Nunu down to the beach looking a good location and start recording. I was looking for local surf coaches. After chatting for a while, the coach would teach me to surf for free. I just need to rent a surf board for Rp. 50.000, - and borrow a beach short. The Shop keeper had offered to booty but I refuse and eventually regret it until tomorrow.

It was four o'clock in the afternoon, small waves ware good enough to practice. Stupidly I did not prepare anything for exercise. Just use the beach short and rubbed wax board, my coach and some little kids started running into the sea. I also gained know why the shop keeper offers a booty, it was not as smooth beaches like Kuta or Sengigi, many small, sharp coral reefs. Soles of my feet full of small wounds.

Satonda

Still tired, today we checked out and leads to our final destination, the Satonda Island. Satonda is an island located in Dompu and Bima administrative area. When we get there, Satonda is belong to Dompu district administration area.

From the hotel, we headed Cabang Banggo junction, the crowded area in the district Manggalewa. This area is in the middle way from Sumbawa to Dompu. From Dompu, we turn right at the juction and leads on to Labuan Kenanga village, Bima district and through extensive savanna desert, arid and rare settlements.

Mail ever told me, the sun on Sumbawa Island are twin. The heat was incredible. Along the trip past the half-meter-tall elephant grass of the savanna, dust from unpaved roads more tortured us. I forget how many hours of our trip up to Labuan Kenanga, which we think at the time are our car hopefully not too hot and burst tires. And also think of our stomachs began to revolt earlier.

Approximately two hours drive from Cabang Banggo junction, we entered a quiet village and stopped at a quiet small stall. When we arrived, the stall keeper like desperate to see us. Hahhahaa there rarely seems to come into the stall to just stop by to buy a drink.

We didn't think what was food tasted like, what matters was fully belly and throat are no longer as dry as we passed earlier savanna. The stall sell Babalung. Mail told, babalung is Lombok local culinary (not Sumbawa), which uses beef and cooked into soup seem like ribs soup in Java. Under the twin suns, we began to eat hot soup which instantly made us sweat from head to foot. Whether it was very hungry or the taste was really good, Babalung soup is really tempting. No matter the air outside was very hot, much less no matter what else to eat soup babalung just heated. I got out of two portions, either by Nunu and bang Mail.

Satiety and sweating, we headed to the village of Labuan Kenanga. It's three o'clock and still no sign of us soon get there. Be thankful today was not raining, because the next road we traveled more damaged than before.

About four-thirty in the afternoon, we finally entered a village. After asking the locals, we arrived at uphill road towards to Labuan Kenanga village. Between happy and worried, we all laughed when Mail fight enforce that poor car uphill along the road that was badly damaged. The holes in the road there were up to twenty centimeters, enough to frustrate the car and make blisters fuel tank. Promptly at five o'clock, we finally entered the Labuan Kenanga village.

Labuan Kenanga Village entrance Bima district administrative region directly adjacent to the entrance area of the village Nangamiro, Dompu district administration. Topography similar to other coastal areas in Indonesia which close to the mountains. On the road we could see very clearly the Tambora mountain stand erect as clearly as we see the Satonda island.

Area of Labuan Kenanga village about 27 hectares, but the total area that can be occupied only five acres, and even then only in occupied 400 households. The far location and many damage roads was the one thing that makes Labuan Kenanga village still quite. Although the village situated on the beach, the average locals were farmers and ranchers, like most professions Bima ethnic society. Because the soil was less suitable for rice farming, they used to grow coffee and cashew nuts.

Suave seems ingrained in the whole Indonesian people. Nunu, Mail and I were warmly welcomed at the local village headman's house and provided a place to stay for today. His house was really beautiful. In the spacious yard, standing custom house Milky form of wooden stilt houses along two hundred feet with a door directly facing the beach. Standing next to a modern house of stone that was now in he and his family live. In his house there was TV 21 ", dvd player and two active speakers as high as thirty centimeters although electric lights began at six o'clock.

After sunset, village heads family and us gathered in the small hall of the house and start a conversation. I told him about our trip to Labuan Kenanga, and he tells about Satonda island and Tambora. As we talked, the mother was roasting (if you could say that) Timbu. Dompu and Bima local food. glutinous rice-based foods that incorporated into the bamboo and roast. Usually, when eating tempe mendoan or other snacks in Java, there's chili. When eating Timbu also exist. But instead of sauce, we pinch a small piece Timbu with black sticky rice. It felt strange, sour and chewy. Like eating steak with strawberry jam. And worst, I got diarrhea during a week later.

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Behind the fog on the mountain the sun began to take over domination of the night sky. The sound of small waves from behind the room carrying a childhood dream about coming back to beach. At six a.m we began preparing to cross to the Satonda island. What was so caught my attention, the well water so clear and fresh. but not to five feet deep. Sand beaches are different, not in the form of white fine grains, but a small smooth rounded rocks colored jet black. The legacy of the explosion of Mount Tambora. Maybe this one ingredient filter sea water into fresh water fresh. Perhaps, one meter from the beach too, when excavated feels fresh water.

Umbu, one of the few fishermen who lived in Labuan Kenanga was ready since five o'clock in the morning. A little story about Umbu. Actually he was not the native tribes of Bima, he nomads from Flores who married local women. That's why he became a fisherman. When our boat began to leave the shoreline of Labuan Kenanga, the village was quiet and asleep. So calm, so peaceful. Slightly out to sea, treasure of Indonesia waters actually start stretching. Sea water was clear like aquarium glass that showcased the vast stretches of coral reefs garden. I never saw gardens so manicured as coral reefs here. Transition of white sand on the seabed which began to appear from behind a black pebble like the sun rises from the dark of night. It's amazing.

Arriving at a small dock on the Satonda island, we met Mr. Toto. Officers who maintain the local islands to serve tourists who do come here often because the location of the island of Bali tourist route between Satonda-Flores. Before looking at the lake Satonda, Umbu and Toto took us around the island which covers about 4.8 square kilometers. The most creatures live here were bat. A kind of large fruit-eating bats. So much to cover one third of the trees on the island. Apart from bats, there's also python and monkeys. However, only bats that I saw that morning.

According Umbu who had lived in Labuan Kenanga since year 75, before he and 4 other family heads had lived on the Satonda island before being transferred by the local government to Labuan Kenanga.

After look around the island, we started up the trail to the top of the hill. Quite steep although not too high. Ten minutes full of sweat and had to take a deep breath, finally paid off. Which now lies in front of my eyes that Lake Satonda. Beautiful quiet lake area 0.8 sq km form the figure eight. From up here the color was greenish blue, because the surface was full of moss.

According to the research geologists, Satonda island was once a volcano. About four thousand years ago the volcano erupted and formed the caldera. The rain continued to fill the caldera to be a freshwater lake. Now the water becomes salty expected since the eruption of Mount Tambora in April 1815. Huge explosion that clouds was reaches Sumatra, tsunami waves swept Satonda island. Sea water from the tsunami that's now stuck causing the water to be salty.

At the end of the journey, Mail, Nunu and I rest in small pavilion in the lip of lake Satonda. Marvel at the quiet water lake full of moss on its surface. There are trees full of hanging rocks. According to Toto, tourists who come to this island used to bind the stone in its branches while praying to get back here.

I also tying a stone in the remaining limb. Hope I not only want to return to the island. More than that I want when I returned to the Satonda Island, smooth stretch of asphalt roads from Cabang Banggo junction to Labuan Kenanga village and more public transport coming here.

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